Where resilience meets triumph: With Worlds medal under her belt, Ekta Bhyan eyes Asiad glory again

Where resilience meets triumph, we delve into the compelling journey of a Paralympic sensation, exploring the success of an athlete who defied odds and embraced challenges head-on. From navigating the aftermath of a disappointingly understated Tokyo Paralympics to clinching a remarkable World Championship medal earlier this year, our conversation with Ekta Bhyan unveils the heart and soul of a true competitor.

With candid honesty, Ekta delves into the emotional depth of her recent Worlds victory – a redemption that reflected her undying commitment to the sporting cause. Reflecting on the unwavering support and mentorship provided by Amit Saroha, an Arjuna Awardee, she sheds light on the crucial role mentors play in shaping destinies. The interview probes the attitudinal barriers that continue to pose challenges for disabled athletes, and Ekta’s insights illuminate the path toward increased awareness and inclusion.

As we journey through her triumphs and trials, Ekta Bhyan’s narrative is a testament to the power of passion and perseverance in the pursuit of excellence.

You won your first World Championship medal this year. Talk us through that moment.

The moment was very special and the reasons behind it are two. Firstly, my Tokyo Paralympics performance that was not up to the mark and I was very dissatisfied. So, I was looking forward to some major events so that I could improve my performance. And after 21, it was our first major event and I could throw my personal best with the national record at the international level. So that was a very important moment. And apart from that, the second reason was, it was my first World Championship medal… I didn't win a single medal in World Championships in the past seven years.

So, winning a medal at World Championship is really a matter of pride because it is the second-most important event after Paralympics. These were the two reasons that make this moment very special.

You had been really appreciative of how you big a role Amit Saroha has played since the start of your career. How did his partnership develop?

I will first start with my disability. It is quite severe; the disability of both upper limbs and lower limbs. My legs are completely paralyzed and my arms are partially paralyzed. So, I used to think that it is the most severe disability and sport is not possible with this impairment. But in 2015, when I qualified my Haryana civil services exam, my interviews were published and somehow it reached Mr. Amit Saroha, who himself is an Arjuna Awardee. So, he contacted me and asked me, if I wanted to join a sport. “If you want to join, I can mentor you,” he had said.

So, the fact that I could do sports was very surprising for me at the time. And the club throw is the only event especially designed for those who have impairment of all limbs. So, I started my journey from there. In 2016, I played my first national match at Panchkula, where I won a gold. And after that, there was no looking back. Mr. Saroha played an important role because he is credited with bringing a lot of talent from the rural areas, where there is a lack of awareness that sports are possible for persons with disabilities. In many areas, disabled persons are considered a burden on their family.

It is a great medium for disabled persons to become independent. He mentored Dharamvir, who is also a two-time Paralympian, and who won a Silver Medal at the World Championship. So, mentoring those from rural backgrounds is very important and I'm really thankful to him that he could guide me and he is still mentoring me.

You just talked about the lack of awareness among people about para-sports. Do you see change in societal perceptions from the time you started to Tokyo 2020, which was India’s best outing in Paralympics?

Challenges are there, and I differentiate them mainly in two. One is the attitude barrier we face in our daily lives. People have very negative stereotypes towards disability. And second is the infrastructure. I cannot imagine myself traveling in public transportation. Because of these two reasons, disabled persons have very low literacy -- 40%. And for women with disabilities, it is even lower because they cannot travel, they cannot step out of their homes due to inaccessibility. So, inaccessibility is a big challenge in our country.

Yes, after Paralympics, there has been a lot of change and a lot of awareness, but there is still a long way to go. Disabled persons are restricted to their homes because they cannot step out. The roads are not disabled-friendly. The public transportation is not disabled-friendly. Not every stadium is wheelchair accessible. So, still a long way to go.

And apart from that, the attitudinal barriers are also a big challenge. I'm glad that sports are bringing that change where disabled persons are also treated as equals. They are also considered as persons, not just disabled persons. We need to be treated as persons first and disabled persons second. It's about understanding our needs and giving equal opportunities. Usually, disabled persons are discriminated against. I still know many students who are disabled and are not given admission in schools, or an educated disabled person is discriminated against when seeking employment. So, there is still unfair treatment and discrimination. I hope sports bring a lot of awareness and remove this negativity from our system.

There is also a certain amount of sympathy attached towards para-athletes, even though they win medals and compete at the highest level in international stage. Is that frustrating?

Stories are covered by media, and social media also plays a very important role in that. And yes, there is that angle of sympathy and that we are a source of inspiration. Of course, we are glad if our story can inspire anyone. But apart from that, we are also athletes. We need to talk about our performance, our hard work; how much I have improved in my game, and the story behind it. It is not only about inspiration, it is not only about our background, it is also about our sport.

Also, it is really rare that we see disabled athletes in action. We can see the cricketers with a good shot, we can see the boxers with a good punch, but we rarely see a picture of disabled athlete in action. And for women para-athletes, there is lesser coverage. We can see male para-athletes more often in newspapers than females. So, there is a kind of unfair treatment. But we are glad that time is changing and we are more optimistic that things will get better.

When the government treats disabled athletes at par – like able-bodied athletes – it sets a right example in the whole country. Our Honorable Prime Minister met us after the Paralympics, sending a good message to the rest of the states. Chief ministers also met us, setting an example of equal treatment and equal sports policies. Many states are changing their policies, but still, we have a few states which are not treating disability on par with able-bodied athletes in terms of giving jobs or cash incentives.

Many people are also unaware about the different classifications the sport has. So, when we talk about your classification, the F-51 in club throw, how would you describe that in layman's language?

Para sports have two kinds of events, field events and track events. We have F categories for field events and T categories for track events. My category is F 51, which is the most severe disability. The number indicates the level of muscle strength in the athlete's body. For example, F-52 would have more strength than F-51, and so on. This number represents the muscle strength and function. I’ve my paralysis below the shoulders, but one with F52 category have strength below their arms. Usually, athletes ask me about their categories. We need special experts about classification, they see which muscle is active or not, and according to that, we have classifications. The 56-57, amputees have good trunk balance.

You won the gold at the Asian Para Games four years ago. Is that an added pressure for you to defend the title this year?

Yes, I want to repeat history. There is a bit of pressure because with every competition, there is an increase in competition. The best part is that you work harder and your best comes out. I'm optimistic and sure that I can win another gold medal for my country.

Tokyo wasn't up to your standards. How difficult was it for you to pick yourself up after that disappointment?

This is the beauty of sport. You always have another opportunity. I relate sport to life. After failures, we need to identify new goals, set new targets, and do our best to achieve them. Tokyo Paralympics was a big disappointment for me, but after that, I looked forward to my nationals and Open Championships. Now, for the World Championship, and I'm glad that I've continuously improved my performance. Disappointments and failures are not permanent. You set your eyes on the next goal and move forward.

How big a role has the Wellspun Foundation played in your sporting career?

Disabled athletes are not at the level that we can avail sponsorships easily. Being a disabled athlete, our demands, needs are much, much higher than any other athlete. I'm having quadriplegic disability; I need two persons to escort me whenever I'm stepping out of my home. If one athlete is spending for one ticket to a foreign country, I need to spend amount for three tickets. So, our needs are much, much higher than any other athlete. For traveling, I cannot use a public transportation. I need a personal car for that. That is expensive to take care of. And in every sense then, our needs are very financially demanding. So, I'm very thankful to, well, for this.

Also, it is not only about the escorts we have. We have to spend more on our assisted devices like wheelchair. That is very expensive. So, we cannot expect that everyone can afford that. And we need support for that as well. So, journey of disabled athletes is more financially demanding. And we need more financial assistance from all the participants of sports ecosystem.

Do you think lack of education also plays a role where para-athletes may not be aware about the different things that could help them grow in their career? And maybe someone like you can help them through this barrier?

When literacy rate is less, it means they are not financially independent. They are restricted at their homes, and they are not having that circle which can support them outside their home. Imagine a person is living his or her own life, among the four walls for 20 years. He or she doesn't have any social circle, and when they're not stepping out and they, we can't expect them to be aware of the opportunities with lies ahead of them. So, when education is not there, person is financially dependent on family. And when they're dependent on family, they're considered, with a negative stereotype and prejudice in our society. So, yes, if they are well educated, they can explore the positive online.

And digitally, things have changed a lot to benefit the life of a disabled person. It has opened a lot of avenues for them. I was financially independent before joining sports. So, I could spend lakhs of money while traveling abroad to participate in events when I was not winning medals. Initially, at the international level, I could take care of my expenses. But this is not the case for every disabled person in our country. And they are financially dependent on their families and family are not financially sound that they can spend lakhs of money on their sports journey. So, education is a great medium to be independent and, if someone is educated and aware of opportunities, then surely this sports journey will be more rewarding.